FEATURE

IncrediblePets

Our pets hold a special place in our hearts—and these pictures prove it. Paws for a moment as you peruse this year’s pictorial of local animal companions.

TIKKA "Tikka is the mascot at Hawkins School of Performing Arts. She's three years old and brings joy to Hawkins' students, and they bring joy to her!"—Deirdre Hawkins

ZOE "Zoe is 17 years old and still going strong!"—Tim Dolan

People & Their Pets

Compiled by Megan Wiskus

AGNES “Agnes is a diva. She loves to talk, take naps, and give dirty looks.”—Julie Ryan

ABBY “Abby is a four-year-old, 20-pound dachshund/ Chihuahua/Jack Russell terrier mix. We adopted her a year ago from Foothill Dog Rescue in Shingle Springs and love her dearly. Although she doesn’t play with any toys, she enjoys sunning herself (until it gets too hot), wrestling, playing with our garden cat (they’re best buddies), chasing turkeys out of the yard, and scaring deer when they get close to the fence. She loves the country life.”—Lorraine Burgess

Photos courtesy of their pet parents. ALBERT

“Albert is super cuddly and a little mischievous. He also loves spaghetti.” —Dawn and Mike Doyle

ANDY, DODGER, & PEZ “Andy,

Dodger, and Pez all enjoy bird watching, homeschooling with Ben, walks to the park, and napping.”—Darci Frank

ARAWN “Arawn is a Belgian Malinois, and his favorite things to do are play catch, eat, nap in the sunshine, and snuggle with his humans. He was the inspiration for me starting my pet photography business, Kylee Doyle Photography, and to this day, he continues to serve as a model and muse for my art.”—Kylee Doyle

AUDRE “Audre Shepburn is the support dog for a Purple Heart veteran. She chases tennis balls for a living and loves lounging on the putting green or on the top step of the pool.”—Jeff Trumbo

BALOO “Baloo's new favorite hobby is helping his parents garden (watering the plants by diving toward the hose and pruning the trees). He’s starting to learn about squirrels and birds but luckily is a bit too slow. He also likes watching The Lion King and crime shows, but gets scared by criminal minds. His favorite treat is ice cubes.”—Danielle Nygren

BOGART & COOPER “Bogart and

Cooper are very easygoing dogs. They love cheese but not canned food or the gardener with the blower. They look forward to their daily adventures with Mom to the river (Bogart) and the lake (Cooper).”—Myriam Liberman

BONBON WITH SAMANTHA (HUMAN)

"During quarantine, BonBon was Samantha’s buddy and classmate— sitting with her, doing PE with her, and keeping her company. She's the best dog a girl could ever have: affectionate, protective, and playful."—Lori Tsang

BRIAR ROSE (ROSIE) & MOWGLI “Nine-year-old

Mowgli likes anything made of meat or cheese, is still learning to tolerate Rosie, and thinks sleeping on the tall bed that Rosie can’t jump on is fantastic. Mowgli guards the dog food he refuses to eat and bites toes or ankles that get too close! Rosie was born on February 1 and is still growing into her ears and paws. She thinks Mowgli’s tail would be a fun chew toy, wants toys as large as her, and was rescued at 14 weeks from Itsie Bitsie Rescue.”—Brittany Short

CAB “Cab, a new mom who was left with all her kittens in the back alley behind our home, was really scared when she first came into our life. She’s now a lovable, kind, and protective cat who is very sociable.”—Jennifer Corrigan

BRUCE, BO, OLIVIA, &

REX “Our pups are our kids. All were rescued and fill our hearts. Our bulldog, Bruce, will shake your hand, roll over, play dead, and say I love you. Olivia, the black pug, runs our house and keeps the pack in line. They all love walks and playing ball and are huge fans of people and attention.” —James Bockmann

CHARLEY “Charley is a seven-month-old Australian shepherd mini who’s very playful. He lives for having his belly rubbed and enjoys napping, kids, going on long hikes, and fetching his toys. Charley can sit, stay, stand, and lay down on command and loves being rewarded for a job well done."—Tammi Rollins CHARLIE “Charlie lives at Five Mile Ranch in Citrus Heights. He thinks he rules the ranch, is obsessed with balls, and will leap over fences to retrieve them!” —Kathy Mastagni BRUCE “One-year-old Bruce, a boisterous boxer puppy, grabs attention no matter where he goes!” —Hatton family

“Chicken and Khloe are the best of friends. Chicken loves to open cabinets and Khloe loves to cuddle.”—Areia family COOPER “Cooper’s superpower is spreading love throughout the land. He loves snuggles, cuddles, hugs, and naps, and is especially good at howling and lovin’ his mama.”—Melanie Mishler

CHLOE &

GEORGE “This is not posed. George, the puppy, loves Chloe 24/7! Recently adopted, he’s been a great addition to our family and helping our Chloe not to be so shy.” —Wilson family DAPHNE “Emory (my husband) and I adopted sweet Daphne from Rescue for Pet Sake on May 3. Daphne is a five-year-old chiweenie who loves to give kisses, does a little dance when we arrive home, enjoys walks, and barks hello to the next-door neighbor’s dogs. We feel blessed to have found her during this trying time.” —Jamie Mansuetti

EMMA “Emma was the love of my life. She loved playing with racquetballs and was the sweetest, most loving dog I’ve ever had.” —Melisse LeWeck

FIONA & PEPE

“Three-year-old Fiona (Fifi) loves food, being worshiped and adored, and distributes her affection equally to my husband and me but hates when I show attention to Pepe! Pepe is so soft and makes the cutest baby noises. He loves his belly pet and is jealous of Fifi getting attention. But they’re best friends and love to snuggle and play with each other.” —Stacey Conway

CITY CAT “City Cat is a great hunter and keeps the rodents at bay. If a guest at Ponderosa Ridge Bed & Breakfast sees her, it's their lucky day. She also comes to a whistle and can shake hands (paws).”—Bonnie Kelley

FINNEGAN “Here’s Finnegan, our six-yearold lemon beagle, in his famous “l-o-n-g dog” pose.”—Cindy Flaherty

FRANKIE

“Frankie is a fiveyear-old Maine coon that is often found lying on his back or begging for treats from whomever is in the kitchen.” —Laura & Steve Aguirre

HARPER & LINCOLN “Harper and Lincoln are inseparable siblings from different litters. Lincoln's whole world is trying to get the squirrel that he's convinced is just around every corner. Harper wants to meet and greet every person or animal she sees and especially loves children. Lincoln has taught her everything she knows, good and bad. They especially love car rides and giving the barista at Starbucks an overzealous greeting in the drive-through.”—Amanda Schaffner

GOLDIE “Goldie is a two-year-old rescue who was found on the Tower Bridge (hence her name) last summer. She's easily distracted by squirrels and loves to cuddle and play fetch.”—Mikey & Emily Corey

PHIL “Phil just turned one and loves food, shoes, paper, and anything he can try to eat.”—Julie Ryan

By Tara Mendanha

Many animals are in need some extra lovin’. Find your soul mate at any of these locales.

Animal Outreach of the Mother Lode

Provides a safe and caring haven for shelter animals until adopted. 6101 Enterprise Drive, Suite B, Diamond Springs, 530642-2287, animaloutreach.net

El Dorado County German Shepherd Rescue

Provides shelter and care for displaced dogs until they find caring homes. 5820 Marybelle Lane, Shingle Springs, 530-6776444, edcgsr.com

Fat Kitty City

Unique, no-kill shelter that functions as a place of refuge for hundreds of abused and abandoned pets. 916-9393418, fatkittycity.org

FieldHaven Feline Center

Provides adoption, assistance, and innovative programs for cats in need. 2754 Ironwood Lane, Lincoln, 916-434-0622, fieldhaven.com

Foothill Dog Rescue of the Sierras

Nonprofit dedicated to rehoming dogs from high-kill shelters and owners who can no longer care for them. 4131 South Shingle Road, Suite 14, 530-676-3647, Shingle Springs, foothilldogrescue.org

Leaps & Bounds Rabbit Rescue

Rescued rabbits are cared for and eventually found permanent homes. 1917 Douglas Boulevard (inside Petco), Roseville, 916-782-8669, leapsandboundsrabbitrescue. cfsites.org

Placer SPCA

Facilitates the humane treatment of animals and offers adoption, pet-related services, and human-animal support. 200 Tahoe Avenue, Roseville, 916-782-7722, placerspca.org

Sierra Pacific Great Pyrenees Club

Dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, rehoming, and celebrating Great Pyrenees dogs. Granite Bay, 916-7917580, spgpc.com

By Tara Mendanha

Summer means fun in the sun with your furry friends but that joy can turn into a stressful situation if you’re not careful about animal care. To ensure a fun and safe summer, the Placer SPCA asks all pet parents to take note of the following tips.

1Keep your pet home and out of the car. The easiest way to keep your pets safe this summer is to leave them at home when running errands! On just a 90-degree day, it takes less than 10 minutes for a car’s interior to reach 160 degrees. Leaving your pet in the car—even for a short time— can lead to heatstroke, irreversible organ damage, or death.

2Exercise when it’s coolest. Avoid exercising your pet on hot days–except earlier in the morning or later in the evening. Always have plenty of water available and remember that asphalt and concrete can get very hot in the summer sun. A good way to see if the ground is too hot for your pet is to place your hand on the sidewalk or asphalt. If it hurts you, it’s too hot for their paws!

3Beware of mosquitoes. Heartworm—a parasite that can be fatal for dogs and cats—is transmitted by mosquitoes, which are a common summer pest. Check with your vet to see if your pet should be taking heartworm medication and clean outdoor water bowls often to prevent the hatching of mosquito larva.

4Watch out for pesticides. Plant food, fertilizers, and insecticides in backyards and public spaces are more widely used during the warmer months. These chemicals can be fatal if ingested by dogs or cats, so ensure you follow pet safety guidelines when using them in your own yard and watch your pets in outdoor spaces.

5Protect them from the sun. Provide plenty of shade and water for your pet at all times, and remember that pets can get sunburned, too. Use sunscreen on pets with short coats, light-colored noses, or fur on their ears.

6Continue social distancing with your pet. Consider leaving your pets behind when you know there will be a lot of stimulation. Loud noises, lights, and larger numbers of people can be very overwhelming for animals. Water can also be in short supply at events, often leading to dehydration.

7Track your pet. Make sure your pet has an identification tag and microchip. These give you the best chance of reuniting with your pet if they get lost. Microchips are available at the Placer SPCA’s Companion Animal Care Center.

JOSIE “Josie, our diva, just turned eight and rules our home. She loves popcorn (and anything you’re eating), car rides, and cuddling on her terms. Her farts can clear out a room, but she still sleeps with my husband and me every night, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”—Theresa Arnold

JETER & JESSIE “Jeter

is an 11-year-old chocolate Lab and Jessie is her eightyear-old black Lab daughter. Jeter is your typical neurotic chocolate Lab who is constantly on the go, while Jessie is the laziest Lab in the world, who only really likes to go on walks because she knows she'll get a treat afterwards. Both love the ocean, mountains, and their grandparent's pool.” —Laura & Steve Aguirre KEPLER “Kepler, our five-yearold Corgi-mix, is endlessly patient with our two toddlers and well-intentioned but rough petting. She loves to eat kale right out of our garden beds and will play fetch until she pukes.” —Jennifer Resnicke HOLLY “Holly is almost three years old and loves to cuddle, but even more than that, she loves snow! This silly pup would spend all day in the snow if we let her.” —Stephanie Gabler

JUNEAU “Juneau enjoys long walks with the family, basking in the glorious sun, and demands a morning belly scratch from all of us before we leave for the day.”— Bree Lawrence

KINGSTON WITH JAMI (HUMAN)

“Kingston is a very handsome Percheron gelding who was rescued from slaughter 19 years ago. He’s full of personality and loves trail rides.”—Lisa Warner

LEO & MAKS

“Leo is nine months old and loves his big brother Maks who is almost six years old. Both are rescues (not related but they look alike) and are truly the best dogs ever! We take them for daily walks on the trails and through the parks in the Whitney Oaks area. Their favorite place to hang out is the ocean or Folsom Lake.”—Kari McKinley LADY “One-yearold Lady was recently rescued and made part of our family. She loves playing ball and is a very social butterfly.”—Jami & Brianna Areia

MISTY "We adopted Misty from the SPCA. She enjoys lying in the sun, bird watching out the window, and meowing at us for kitty treats!" —Kim Rowe

LITTLE GIRL & OLLIE

“When I got Little Girl and Ollie they were so incredibly underweight and malnourished. We’re still working hard to heal them, but they’re inseparable partners in crime. Ollie’s nickname is ‘Bull Dozer’ because of his absolutely insatiable appetite and willingness to eat anything and everything. Little Girl adores her big brother, loves to play in water, and watching the bird feeders out the window.” —Dr. Alicia Tsounis

LULU WITH TRISH (HUMAN)

“LuLu the Yorkie loves going to our local parks and finding the perfect stick to chew on!”—Trish Verandes

MAX “Max, a rescue, is shy and timid but so sweet and handsome! When we got him, he had no idea how to play. It took him two years to learn to play ‘keep away’ from his fur siblings. He loves eating watermelon, apples, and blueberries.”—Kimberlee Schory

MILA “Mila is a seven-year-old purebred pit bull and loves her humans. She’s great at tricks like sit, shake, stay, and roll over; and loves her long walks at sunset and being able to spend time with ‘her’ kids.”—Jeffrey Anderson

MOLLY BLUE “Molly Blue is a five-yearold bluetick coonhound and the most loving and soulful dog you’ll ever meet. She’s a Canine Good Citizen with a novice and intermediate trick dog title. Her best trick is singing on command with her loud and powerful hound dog howl. If you spend time on Historic Folsom’s Sutter Street in the evenings, you’ll likely meeting Molly and me, her mama, walking. It’s our favorite place to visit. She spends the day in Folsom with her grandparents while I'm at work.” —Dianne Mitchell

NACHO, GRACE, &

JAMESON “Nacho, Grace, and Jameson— the pups of Friends of Folsom—love long walks on the beach, anything edible, and participating in all kinds of charity events around town with their human parents.”—Sarah Y. Woods PIERRE “Here’s Pierre, our three-yearold dwarf lion head, visiting a hospice patient earlier this year. Now you’ll see Pierre (and his buddy Oliver) at the Historic Folsom Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings.” —Cindy Flaherty

OLIVIA WITH JENNA & SAMANTHA (HUMANS)

"We adopted Olivia in 2016 from Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue. She loves having her belly rubbed and begging for dog treats." —Kim Rowe

PRISCILLA “Priscilla likes fruit, cheese, eggs, belly rubs, and exploring. She is calm, curious, and assertive; her talents include whistling, cuddling, being a natural alarm clock, and emotionally supporting us through our own grief while being resilient through her own after losing her human and sissy.”—Heather Grubb OLAN “Olan turns 12 this year and is our mascot at Jeremy Barkhurst State Farm in El Dorado Hills. He’s obsessed with carrying his ball everywhere he goes and loves carrots.” —Elizabeth Wyman

OSCAR & OLIVE “Oscar and Olive are my officemates while working from home. I don't know what they’ll do when I go back to the office.” —Kelly Sarabia

REX “A couple of years ago this beautiful runaway boy, Rex, decided we were his family. What a personality he has! By night, he’s a fierce protector who guards his territory; by day, he’s a purring love who sleeps soundly in our garden or lays at our feet for attention. He has won our hearts and we are glad he chose us!”—Christina Richter

PINOT & RIESLING

“Pinot and Riesling are siblings who have been with us since the day they were born. They’re both adventurous, fun, and slightly mischievous.” —Jennifer Corrigan

RILEY “Riley is an Aussiedoodle with one brown and one blue eye. She loves the water, going for runs, and digging up my plants—basically anything that keeps her dirty.” —Tiffany Begley

By Tara Mendanha

If you haven’t done it in a while, now is as good a time as any to treat your pet. We’ve drummed up a few ideas for some bonding time between human and animal.

Which pet has ever said no to toys? Squeaky, chewy, hardy, whatever the need, find a special toy for your picky pet from sBarkles in Folsom (sbarkles.com) or The Doggie Bag in Roseville (thedoggiebag.com).

When you love someone, you take care of them.

Medical check-ups

are a must for any pet at any point and Veterinary Healing Center in El Dorado Hills (vethealingeldoradohills. com) and Veterinary Medical Center of Folsom (vmcfolsom.com) have you covered for everything from nutrition to preventative services.

Take your playmate for a jaunt at the park. Play fetch, make a friend or lounge on the grass at Fido Field Dog Park (Folsom), Bear Dog Park (Roseville), Rruff Dog Park (Rocklin), or El Dorado Hills CSD Community Dog Park.

Make your buddy a summer treat by freezing a small, hard treat inside lowsodium broth or freezing their favorite berries in some watered-down yogurt or freezing watered down peanut butter. You’ll definitely earn yourself some brownie points.

Set up a kiddie pool in your backyard for some summer fun. Nothing like cool water on a warm day. You could jump in, too!

Belle go on walks every day, rain or shine. Their favorite place to go is Folsom Lake.”—Carol Ritter

SHADOW “Shadow was adopted from the SPCA and loves to have her belly rubbed. Follow her on Instagram @that.shadow. cat.”—Taylor Gillespie

TILLY “Tilly is a nine-year-old blind pug. Her favorite activity is ‘chasing’ tennis balls on the hardwood floor by listening and sweeping the floor with her nose until she finds them. She also loves greeting friends and family with her favorite toy when they come home.”—Chelan Rooney

PET INSTAGRAMS TO FOLLOW

By Tara Mendanha

Bored? Don’t be. We’ve got some scroll-worthy Instagram accounts to keep you thoroughly entertained.

Juniper the Domestic

Fox. Tune in to adventures with this foxy lady and her family of furry friends. @juniperfoxx

Tuna the Chiweenie.

This Internet-famous hound is known for his unforgettable pearly whites. @tunameltsmyheart WHO “Who is our little ambassador at Ponderosa Ridge Bed & Breakfast. He love people, greets most of our guests at the front door, comes to a whistle, and can shake hands (paws).”—Bonnie Kelley

Pumpkin the Raccoon. Just a racoon and her dog pals hanging out. @pumpkintheraccoon

Jill the Squirrel. Check out this sweet little rodent and her fabulous life. @this_girl_is_a_squirrel

Grumpy Cat. Grumpy, bored, and totally meme-worthy. @realgrumpycat ZOEY “Zoey is five years old, loves her squirrel (even though she chewed his limbs off), and burps after she eats.” —Rozan Esparza SHAMMY “Sham Rock, aka Shammy, is a professional napper and parttime defender of her household.” —Rich and Kelly Rock Tot is a two-yearold Craigslist dog who was supposed to be half her size but is absolutely perfect. She loves to chase squirrels and lizards—all though not sure what she would do if she caught one!”—Maureen "Sparky" Sanford

TED “Ted is the funniest dog. He loves ripping presents open on Christmas Day, dressing up (well, I think he does anyways and he owns his own drawer), and getting his hair blow-dried. He comes into the bathroom specifically when I’m drying my hair, looks at me, and says, ‘I’m ready mom.’ He hates squirrels and turkeys.”—Alex Kestler

WILLOW “Don't let the pearls fool you! Willow (@willow.bee.frenchie), a blue and tan micro Frenchie, belches like a grown man after she drinks water! Her favorite activities consist of daily walks around Historic Folsom, lying under the oven while her dad is making delicious baked goods, getting her belly rubbed 999 times a day, being pulled around in a wagon when it's very hot outside, getting fought over for snuggles by her hoomans, and basically being a human baby. She is absolutely OK with everything—full of nothing but love and snuggles this one! —Bergman family

TUCKER & SADIE “Tucker,

the larger mini Aussie, is smart, sophisticated, and excessively fluffy. He’s known as the big fluffy bear on the bike trail, and everyone wants to touch him. He loves watermelon and a good barbecued rib. Sadie, a sweet Aussie mix rescue, loves butternut squash, melon, and getting her beauty sleep.”—Trudy & Jim Nygren

ZAZZLES “Zazzles (Big Bang Theory fans will understand his name) is an expert lizard hunter, loves to lay in the sun, and sleeps next to his mom every night. He loves to snuggle.”—Kimberlee Schory